Obviously, this Sharks team has a tough act to
follow, with last year's team coming just two wins from the Stanley Cup. So
far, the team looks up to the task, with solid defensive play and goaltending.
Some more goals would be nice, though. Here's just a few thoughts on what we've
seen so far, from the fan-at-the-game perspective:

Maybe the Sharks
are over-doing it a bit with this digitization plan and move against all things
paper. Digital tickets, OK, I guess that is alright, since we're all online
these days. But no more pocket schedules? Come on. The Sharks can print these
up for people who like to carry one around in their wallets and collect them.
Disappointing, to say the least.

I was fully expecting to get two
season ticketholder pins recognizing the team's status as defending Western
Conference champions. (We get different-themed pins every year.) Nope. Just one
that says "Sharks 365" on it, the new name for the season ticketholder program.
Again, disappointing.

The $5 in free food per ticket on season tickets
is nice. It almost buys one ice cream sandwich but does pay for a full bag of
candy or popcorn. I guess this giveaway is perhaps one reason why the Sharks
had to cut back on paper and printing.

It's good to see that the
Sharks have gotten rid of that embarrassing "Regular Season Champions" banner,
a title they once gave themselves a few years back. (After the President's
Trophy season of 2008-09, I think.) It was always akin to Andy Kaufmann's own
"Inter-Gender Wrestling Champion" title, which he made up for himself as a
joke. (For you younger people who have no idea who he was, search on Andy
Kauffman in Youtube, since he did pass away in 1984.)

What's up with Mirco Mueller and Nicolay Goldobin,
Sharks' first round draft picks from 2013 and 2014, respectively? Why haven't
they made the big club for good yet? It won't be much longer before we have to
start wondering if these guys are ever going to be full-time Sharks.

Based on one recent report, it looks like my doubts about the Barracuda's
ability to succeed at the Box Office in San Jose were well-founded. I even went
to a game myself - a playoff game where free tickets were given out - and the
place still was barren, with many concessions stands closed. I don't think San
Jose is a strong enough hockey market to support both major and minor league
clubs in the same building. Perhaps it might be prudent to move the Barracuda
to the new arena in Sacramento, where there would be no local NHL competition
and it would still be easy to move players back and forth between the NHL and
AHL clubs?